adjective

fearful

fearful, afraid, anxious, terrible

The child is fearful of the dark.

The child is fearful of the dark.

She is fearful that she might fail.

She is fearful that she might fail.

He gave a fearful cry of pain.

He gave a fearful cry of pain.

((of sth./sb.)) feeling afraid of something/somebody The child is fearful of the dark.

((that ...)) feeling afraid that something will happen She is fearful that she might fail.

Synonyms: afraid, scared, anxious; Antonyms: fearless, brave, courageous

From the noun 'fear' and the suffix '-ful', meaning 'full of'. Literally 'full of fear'.

Picture a cup that is 'full' of 'fear'. This image helps remember the meaning 'feeling afraid'.

This page is designed for learning support. Please use it as a learning reference, not as a formal reference.